Louder than Words
by Sorceress Fantasia
Summary: Yami's been figuring how to confess his feelings to Yugi for the longest time now, and he gets distracted or interrupted every time he tries. A sports meet at school might just be the solution to all his problems...
1. Louder

Title: Louder than Words part 1

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: YY/Y

Warnings: Sap, romance, fluff

Disclaimer: A wild cat snuck into my house and crapped on my chequebook that I had whipped out so I could buy the rights to YGO. As I'm waiting for a new chequebook from the bank and prevent myself from skinning the cat, I have to say I don't own YGO in any way. I do own this ficcy though.

Intro: Yami's been figuring how to confess his feelings to Yugi for the longest time now, and he gets distracted or interrupted every time he tries. A sports meet at school might just be the solution to all his problems...

* * *

"Yugi baby, why don't we hook up and do some serious loving?"

No, that was so cheesy he would never be able to say that out loud without snickering himself to death.

"Darling Yugi, what say we fall in love now?"

He shivered at the lameness. Looking at himself in the mirror, he tried to strike another cool pose. Not liking it, he stepped back a little and crossed his arms. Nope, he looked like he was angry at something. He tried again. Finally settling into a pose he thought looked pretty good, he spoke to himself in the mirror again.

"Yugi buttercup, are you taking any applications for a boyfriend?" Silence. "Argh!"

Completely disgusted with himself, Yami stumbled and plopped himself onto his bed. Burying his face in his hands, he groaned at his utter failure. He was sure his mirror image was already laughing at him for being so pathetic. Oh gods... why couldn't he just stick with 'Dearest Yugi, will you be my boyfriend?' Of course, Jou had claimed that that was just too plain. A confession was supposed to be so sweet, so sappy it sent people to the dentist for cavities. And he was not allowed to use the mind link because it was simply unreal; the words /had/ to be spoken out loud for maximum impact. Yami's eyes twitched. Suddenly, he wondered if asking Jou and Honda for romantic advice was the best idea.

But he was desperate, damn it!

If he asked Ryou, Bakura would no doubt eavesdrop and then he would laugh in his face for the rest of their existence. Asking Anzu was also a big no-no, since she would probably get that starry look in her eyes and shoot him with ideas like a trigger-happy woman with a machine gun. There was nothing more he regretted than asking for her help to get Yugi's Christmas present last year. Mokuba was much too young, and Kaiba would probably just brush him off... after calling him pathetic, that is. Otogi seemed like a good place to start, but he just had to be away in USA for his Dungeon Dice Monsters, didn't he!?

Yami groaned again, thinking back to how his dilemma started.

It had been innocent enough.

After retrieving his memories from the recreated world, Yami had finally figured out a way to obtain a physical body and so he declined moving on to Anubis' realm. With a few well-timed puppy eyes from Mokuba and Yugi, Kaiba had relented and created a set of documents for the ex-pharaoh that went from his birth certificate to his education progression. With the documents, Yami was officially, a citizen of Domino, Japan and even a student of Domino High School. Everyone had been ecstatic then, knowing that it meant that he was actually going to stay; they had honestly thought that Yami would choose to go on to the afterlife, after going through so much. But he had made his choice, and no one was going to protest. They made a riot instead, gathering at Yugi's place to celebrate. Even Kaiba had turned up to congratulate his rival, though one would probably have to redefine 'congratulate' from the way the businessman did it. To make things better, and to mark the day of his so-called 'rebirth', Sugoroku jii-san had cleared out the guest room and gave it to Yami.

'I suppose you're old enough to want to have a bit of privacy, and you probably won't have any if you keep sharing a room with Yugi,' he said simply.

Yami was elated, and apparently, so was Yugi. In his elation, Yugi had jumped into Yami's arms much like a bouncing bunny with too much sugar in his blood stream and just hugged him around the waist tightly. It took a while for the idea to sink in, but Yami soon realized that he loved having his hikari in his arms. The hug was warm, tender, and safe. He loved it.

Then he finally let his mind to wander back to his days of sharing a body with Yugi, and he finally understood what was the heartwarming and bittersweet emotion that had been coursing through his veins all along.

He had the world's biggest crush on his little hikari. And that crush never faded; instead, it was nurtured with every smile, every hug, and every encouraging word from Yugi. In fact, the moment the little one first hugged him, Yami knew that he didn't just love having Yugi in his arms. He loved Yugi, as a friend, as a yami, and as a man. He wanted to stay with him forever, and hopefully, love him forever, if his hikari would allow it.

Once he realized his feelings, he had set about confessing to Yugi. The only problem was how. He remembered someone telling him about how 'actions spoke louder than words', and so he took what he thought was the subtle approach, showering the younger one with affection. Sometimes it was just a matter of preparing Yugi's favourite food, helping him with his homework, giving him a few presents or just a few more smiles directed at him. Other times, he focused more on the emotional aspects, hugging Yugi when the little one was upset, lending him a listening ear or even kissing his forehead to let him know he was cherished.

But apparently, the actions weren't loud enough. Yugi either didn't pick up on his silent flirting, or he just didn't care. Everyone, Kaiba included, assured him it was the former. The young teen just wasn't used to such flirting, and probably thought it was the usual doting Yami always gave him. It was just that the doting became more physical since he finally had his own body.

And so, Yami decided to reconsider his strategy and just confess his feelings with words. Simply put, he was going to say his love for Yugi out loud. That way, he thought, there would be no chances of Yugi not understanding. But the problem was: what to say? His idea of a confession was, in Jou's blunt comments, too plain. It really wasn't his fault though; as the pharaoh of Kemet, there had never been a need to say such things. Usually, his concubines were the ones worshipping him and sputtering how much they loved him. That probably deprived him of every last romantic bone in his body.

Now, six months later, he was still struggling with how to confess his feelings. He really was a sad, sad case, now that he really thought about it.

He shouted his frustration again.

'Yami?'

Said boy nearly fell off his bed in surprise before he realized his hikari was talking to him via their mind link.

'Yes, Yugi?'

'Are you okay? I heard you shouting just now... You're not hurt, are you?'

Yami winced. He hadn't been doing such a good job of keeping his emotions to himself, if Yugi actually heard that. But at least he had made doubly sure that their link was completely shut down when he was rehearsing in front of the mirror earlier. It would be really embarrassing if Yugi heard him before he was ready to confess.

'I'm alright. Just having some... problems... with my math homework,' he answered awkwardly. He really hated to lie, especially when the other was Yugi. And the lie was just so... lame, he thought, gracing his nearly forgotten stack of homework still inside his bag with barely a sideward glance.

'Math? Yami, why don't you just come over to my room so we can solve it together? You always do that. Why not tonight?'

The dark being could hear the confusion, and even hurt, in the other's voice. Indeed, there was little excuse why he had chosen to stay in his room instead of going over to Yugi's to do their homework together like they always did. But he really didn't see how he could have time to practice his confession otherwise. After all, he spent nearly all his time with Yugi and other times with his other friends.

'Erm, it's okay. I'll be fine.'

He could tell Yugi wasn't convinced, but luckily, he let it go.

'If you say so...'

'Thank you, Hikari,' he replied, and then the link closed up again with nary a sound. Yugi probably thought he wanted his privacy, which was coincidentally true. Letting himself fall against his bed and feeling the soft comforters swallow him up, Yami sighed. He hated neglecting his little light.

Just a little while more, and he would say what he felt. And then he would be able to hang around his love again all the time.

Hopefully.

* * *

Alright, he was ready. He was really going to do it. Today.

Yami took a deep breath, willing his raging heart to calm down. Everything was going to go well, he told himself, and there was really nothing to worry about. Even if anything /did/ happen, he would still be Yugi's darker half and they would still be the best of friends. Sure, some things might change –after all, it would be kinda hard to look at your best friend in the eye after they say that they like you more than just a friend- but overall, Yami really didn't think that anything would change /too/ much.

Right.

It was 9.10 am on a Sunday morning, so that meant that Yugi was probably already washing up and getting ready for the day. Perfect. He could talk to Yugi now, and give the younger one the whole day to think over it. Besides, his mind was probably still fresh from sleep, so it would be a really good time to talk to him now.

With that thought in mind, Yami strode confidently into Yugi's room, the way he always did. They never knocked on each other's door anymore.

He was about to say his piece when he noticed just what exactly was Yugi doing. With a sound akin to a squeak, he ducked out of the room with a mumbled message that he'd be waiting outside. Closing the door behind him, Yami put a hand over his pounding heart, feeling his rib cage's protest. His face was no doubt already burning a healthy shade of scarlet to match his eyes, and he could feel something stirring in the lower parts of his body.

Of all the blasted timing! He really should have knocked on the door first, or even just send Yugi a message over the mind link before entering. But –Yami grinned goofily – he did enjoy the show. A shirtless Yugi was definitely a big eye candy and divinely beautiful. The way the sunrays peeking into the room shone on his body much like an angelic halo, and the boy's fair, flawless complexion seemed to just accentuate his loveliness. Yami sighed appreciatively.

'Yami?'

Said boy nearly jumped. He really hoped Yugi hadn't heard what he was thinking about.

'Yes, Hikari?'

'You can come in now.'

Taking another deep breath, Yami turned around and pushed the door open. This time, Yugi was fully dressed in his favourite tee-shirt and shorts, but the clothes did little to eclipse his beauty.

"Yami? What was it that had you coming into my room so early in the morning? Usually, you're still asleep at this time on Sunday..." Yugi asked curiously.

Yugi probably had no idea how cute he looked when he was curious. Yami had to force himself to calm down lest all his practice went to waste.

"Yugi, I have something really important to tell you." So far, so good.

"What is it, Yami?"

"Yugi, I... erm... I lik..."

Suddenly, like a roar in the midst of a jungle and scaring away all the nearby birds and other little animals in erratic flights, Sugoroku shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

"Yugi! Yami! Breakfast time! Come down now!"

And Yami's confidence plummeted into the deepest chasm possible. The timing was off, the atmosphere was gone, and worst of all, his façade was cracking.

Yugi must have noticed something wrong, but the mind link just wouldn't work because Yami was blocking him. Giving him a concerned look, he asked, "Yami? Are you alright?"

"Yeah... Erm, let's go down for breakfast."

If Yugi wanted to probe and ask just what the darker teen had wanted to tell him, another shout from downstairs prompted him to forget about it first and talk later. Pulling Yami along, he went down to the kitchen. In doing so, he completely missed the disappointed frown on Yami's face.

* * *

As though reorganizing his army after a defeat in battle, Yami went back to his room after breakfast to reconsider his confession strategy. Doing it in the morning wasn't the best idea he had ever had, in retrospect. Seeing Yugi half-naked was enough to blow away his mind, although that wasn't too bad a thing to see. If that wasn't enough, Sugoroku jii-san had the most impeccable timing...

He sighed. It was going to be hard, but he still had to do it. There was no way about it.

Steeling himself, he left the confines of his room and opened the mind link. Feeling it resonate within him like a ripple, he homed in on Yugi's current position: the living room. He smiled; Yugi was probably lying on the sofa and watching TV. Yami started to walk down the stairs.

'Yugi?'

'Yami? What's is it? You know, you never did tell me what you wanted to earlier before breakfast.'

'I know. I'm coming down right now.'

'Ok, waiting for you.'

As confident as he sounded, Yami wasn't so sure of himself the minute his feet touched the floorboards of the first story. All of a sudden, there were butterflies doing a stage performance of 'Romeo and Juliet' in his stomach and he frowned. Bracing himself, he entered the living room, and just as he had thought, Yugi was on the sofa. However, he wasn't just lying there, oh no; he was lounging on the piece of furniture much like a sunbather would do, head thrown back and arms tucked under and his legs were arranged in the most provocative manner possible that made his shorts ride up. All that exposed skin was enough to make anyone in his right mind desire the little one and possibly drool.

When Yugi noticed Yami standing at the threshold of the living room, he blinked and quickly sat up. He patted the sofa beside him.

"Come over here, Yami!"

It was probably a spell that enticed him over, for Yami could hardly remember any of the short walk. How could Yugi have such an effect on him? As he looked into those amethyst pools that seemed to go on forever, Yami knew he was willing to drown in them and savour the light if he could. The only way to accomplish that was to, of course, confess and let Yugi decide for himself if he would accept his love.

"Yugi, I just want to tell you that..."

All of a sudden, Yami found himself under Yugi's unwavering gaze that was both gentle and warm. The temptation to just lean in and claim a kiss was so great he had no idea how he was resisting. Were actions louder than words? He should just prove it to himself, shouldn't he? He found himself leaning in.

Yugi was strangely, immobile and unresisting. He probably thought he just wanted to let their foreheads lean against each other, a habit that offered them both comfort and one neither had ever broken out of. Well, he'd just show Yugi what he really wanted.

Just then, a shrill ring from the telephone broke the tranquil moment, and Yami could feel the atmosphere shattering like a window's first date with a baseball. Resisting the urge to send the caller on a roundabout trip to the shadow realm, he slumped against the sofa while Yugi left to pick up the phone.

One thing he did not have, Yami decided, was luck.

A while later, Yugi came back into the living room and hopped onto the sofa, close enough for Yami to feel his warmth. Yami pouted inwardly; if Yugi had jumped just a couple of inches closer, he would be lounging in his laps... He wondered if it would be okay if he just plopped Yugi onto his laps right now. Deciding he had nothing to lose, he did just that.

Yugi barely had time to 'eep!' before he found himself sitting on Yami's thighs and his head tucked into the crook of his darker half's neck. Almost hearing Yami's steady heartbeat, Yugi blushed, but did not protest when Yami wrapped a protective arm around him and took his hands with his other arm.

"Yami? Why...?"

The dark teen felt his heart swell at the lack of protest, and how Yugi was cuddling against him like a giant teddy bear. Sweet.

"Because. Just because," he answered. "And I wanted a hug."

As soon as he finished, he felt Yugi's arms enfolding him in an embrace.

"You just had to tell me, and I would hug you all day," the little one teased, not aware of the possible effects of his words. "Are you unhappy, Yami? Does this have anything to do with what you were trying to tell me?"

Bingo! That was a perfect lead in! He just needed to build up the atmosphere a bit more...

"I'm not unhappy, hikari. I'm just a little disappointed because I haven't been able to tell you..."

The phone rang again, and this time, Yami did not manage to rein in his string of curses. Yugi threw him an apologetic look and quickly scampered off to pick up the phone again.

When Yugi came back a minute later, Yami was already fully convinced that he would never succeed in confessing simply because of all the distraction and interruptions. He probably needed to pay homage to the shadows and banish some mortal to the shadow realm as an offering first...

"Yami? Jou called us earlier to ask us out. He just called again to change the venue to Burger World because apparently, he hasn't eaten lunch yet."

"Okay..."

"Yami? Why don't you tell me what you've been wanting to say all morning before we leave?"

He shook his head. "It's okay. I don't feel the urge to say anything now..." _Not when all I want to do is find a divine way to torture Jou._

* * *

Jou fired another successful shot.

"Alright! Beat that, Honda!"

The other teen rolled his eyes.

"It's just one guy. Try shooting fifteen consecutive targets like I did."

"What!?"

Yugi thought it was time to interfere.

"Great shot, Jou! Great shot too, Honda! Just continue at this rate and you two will complete this game in no time!" he chirped, pointing to the screen of the shooting game the two were currently engaged in. After lunch, the gang had decided to come to the new arcade and almost immediately, Jou and Honda zoomed in on the game. And as close those two were, bickering seemed to be a constant in their friendship. Even Yugi's attempts to cool them down were useless.

As the two continued to bicker, Yugi glanced at his yami worriedly. The ex-pharaoh had been trying to tell him something all morning, but with the constant interruptions, he still had no idea what it was about. And it seemed so important, the way Yami kept trying to talk to him privately and how disappointed he was when the phone rang not once, but twice. Now, three hours into their gathering with their friends, Yami was still lurking behind the group and sulking. Granted, he still looked like a dignified pharaoh even when he was pouting.

He grinned at that. Somehow, no matter what Yami did or how he acted, he was still always handsome. Ever since he had obtained his own body, he was quickly crowned a 'girl magnet' and even jii-san had laughingly told them that business at the shop was getting better simply because Yami was at the counter. In school, Yami's locker had more love letters than anybody else, something that irked the darker teen to no end.

It wasn't difficult to understand why, really. Yami was really a very, very attractive individual. Even when they were in an arcade and Yami was just sulking in a corner nearby, Yugi could tell that every girl in the place had their eyes stuck on him like glue. And if it wasn't for the fact that Anzu was trying to talk him out of his misery, there was no doubt the girls would have moved in on him like wolves homing in onto a piece of raw meat.

At the moment, Anzu seemed to be heading nowhere with their conversation and it was obvious that she was getting increasingly frustrated. Whatever problem Yami had, it had to be really big for Anzu to lose her cool. Almost.

Vaguely, Yugi wondered what it was. It was probably the same issue Yami had been trying to tell him all morning. For the longest time, he and Yami confided in each other; they would stay up all night just to talk about their problems. And when things got really bad, he would crawl into Yami's embrace to seek comfort and refuge. Yami seemed to really enjoy having him there too, so it soon became a habit.

'_He's probably really upset this morning, to just pluck me up like that. Plus, he's been blocking his side of the link. Guess he doesn't want me to know yet. Well, it's a good thing Anzu's with him now,'_ he thought. Suddenly, something clicked and realization dawned on him. _'Oh my god... is Yami in love? Now that I think about it, he seems to be displaying all the lovesick symptoms...'_

Dreamy eyes, checked. Constant state of daze, checked. Mood swings, checked. Conclusion: Yami was probably falling in love. But with whom? A quick mental checklist of all the girls turned up blank, because he had never seen Yami giving so much as a hint towards any of them. Guys then? Hmm... this was getting difficult. They knew a lot more guys than girls...

Careful to shield his emotions from seeping into the mind link, Yugi pouted inwardly. It was childish and stupid, he knew, to be upset by such a turn of events. Did he ever think that Yami would never find a lover and stay with him always?

Looking over to Yami who was still sulking and Anzu knocking her head against the wall, he sighed. He shouldn't be upset. Really. The darker teen was entitled to a life of his own, without having to constantly worry if Yugi was going be hurt.

But just why couldn't he feel happy about it?

* * *

Yugi found himself even more confused when Yami gave him a stalk of flower that night. When the spirit had even found the time to get the flower was beyond him.

"Yami, what flower is this?"

For a while, the darker teen appeared a little apprehensive, but it was gone as sudden as it had come and Yugi wondered if it was just a trick of his eyes.

"A lotus. It's something from my time."

"Oh," he replied, but he didn't really get what Yami was trying to tell him. "What's it for?"

Was it just him, or did Yami frown? It was just for a moment before he shrugged.

"Just wanted to give you something, and I saw this."

Now he understood. It seemed to be in Yami's nature to enjoy giving him presents all of a sudden without an explanation. He had gotten chocolates, little snacks, music CDs and a whole lot other presents before, but receiving a flower was a first. Yugi wondered if there was any reason for it. Suddenly, he recalled that Yami was probably falling in love.

...Yami probably wanted to give him something special to make up for the time he would be spending with that person and not him anymore.

Well, it sounded plausible.

"Thanks, Yami. It's really beautiful," - he forced a smile– "I'm going to put in the vase on the table so jii-chan can see it too."

"...Sure."

* * *

Yami dialed Anzu's number after he made sure Yugi was already in his room, preparing to go to sleep.

"Anzu?"

"Yami?" She was clearly puzzled as to what she had done to deserve a call this late.

"You told me to woo Yugi with a flower."

"Yes, I did. Well, I just thought it would be for the best, since you told me that you keep getting interrupted whenever you try telling him. A flower would probably work better if that were the case, since you won't need to say anything at all. After all, actions /are/ louder than words!"

Yami raised an eyebrow at that old and cliché adage. "It failed."

"What failed?"

"Your plan to woo Yugi with a flower."

Anzu was obviously flustered. "How? What did he say?"

"He said the flower was beautiful, and he put it in a vase on the kitchen table so Sugoroku jii-san would be able to see it too. If that wasn't a failure, I don't know what is."

"...Yami, what flower did you get him?"

"A lotus."

"...Why that, of all things, if I may ask?"

"Isn't a lotus supposed to represent love? It did in my time."

He thought he heard Anzu curse, but she had taken the mouthpiece away from herself so he couldn't really be sure.

"Yami, you said so yourself: in your time. In case you've forgotten, it's been 5000 years. You should have gotten a red rose instead! Don't you ever watch television?"

"That red, gaudy thing of a flower? But there're thorns on the stem!"

"Then you trim them away for Yugi! That's the way it should be, to show your sincerity! Besides, the ones at the florist should already be thorn-less..."

He cursed himself mentally in a colourful language he never knew he could achieve. He knew he should have paid more attention to the world at large rather than just his duel deck and his aibou!

This time, he was positive Anzu was sighing over the phone.

"Yami, listen. There is another chance coming up soon. Remember that we're having an inter-class sports meet this coming Monday? Well, that's tomorrow actually... But anyway, use the sports meet to your advantage."

He blinked.

"How?"

"Look, you don't have to worry about this. I'm going to call the games coordinator right now..."

"You know the guy?"

"She's my senior in dancing class. But that's not important! Anyway, as I was saying, I'll call her right away and ask for her help. Tomorrow, you just turn up in school with Yugi and I will give you the cue, alright? Nothing will go wrong this time. I'm sure."

"I hope..."

"Have some faith, Yami," she urged. Then as a second thought, she added, "Well, that and a bit more common sense that is."

"...Anzu, be thankful you're my friend."

"I thank the gods everyday."

"You're being sarcastic, aren't you?"

"Glad you could tell. But just for your information, I'm only sarcastic to people who play so much Duel Monsters that they don't even know roses are the universal flower for love."

"... ... ... I still think the lotus is more beautiful."

-tbc-


	2. Than Words

Title: Louder than Words part 2

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: YY/Y

Warnings: Sap, romance, fluff, OCs

Disclaimer: A wild cat snuck into my house and crapped on my chequebook that I had whipped out so I could buy the rights to YGO. As I'm waiting for a new chequebook from the bank and prevent myself from skinning the cat, I have to say I don't own YGO in any way. I do own this ficcy though.

Intro: Yami's been figuring how to confess his feelings to Yugi for the longest time now, and he gets distracted or interrupted every time he tries. A sports meet at school might just be the solution to all his problems…

* * *

Domino High School was especially noisy the next morning, with students cluttering the hallways and classrooms building up team spirit for the annual inter-class sports meet. Some classes were already cheering their class cheers, yelling their class spirit for all to see and plug their ears. The other classes that were unfortunately composed of either lovesick girls or revolting perverts were mostly just checking out their fellow students, who were all dressed in their gym clothes. Occasionally, someone would let out a catcall and sometimes, a loud resounding slap and a shout of 'hentai!' would follow.

For Yami's case, he was trying to ignore the trail of girls nearby who were probably trying to get a good view of his behind. Cell phones with camera capabilities, he decided, were a bane to his existence.

"Relax Yami! The girls aren't really doing anything!" Yugi whispered amusedly, leaning close. They were still sitting in their classroom, waiting for the events to start that would be signaled by an announcement over the public announcement system. Jou and Honda had gone off to terrorize the rest of the school with their cheering, and Anzu and Ryou were helping out with the logistics of the entire event so they weren't around either. Kaiba was, as usual, missing from school.

"Not doing anything my ass…" Yami grumbled, feeling anotherheadache coming when he realized just how close his comment had hit home.

Yugi mock frowned, and gave his friend a playful nudge.

"Yami! But well, you can't really blame them," he teased. "Not when you're looking so good."

For a second, the ex-pharaoh froze. Yugi thought he looked good? Yugi thought /he/ looked good? Yami couldn't help the grin that burst forth on his face. Suddenly, he couldn't wait for Anzu's cue to come. He vaguely wondered what the girl's plan was. Seriously, he found it hard to understand just how could a sports meet help him confess his feelings to his hikari. To the best of his knowledge, sports meets were all about sporting event after sporting event, and the highlight of the inter-class sports meet was probably prize giving. What else was there?

"…I bet that you're gonna have a hard time getting away from the girls during the fireworks!"

Yami did a double take. He turned to Yugi.

"What did you say? Fireworks? There's going to be fireworks after the sports meet? But we've never had them before!" Suddenly, he had an idea where Anzu's plans were going to come in.

Yugi stifled a giggle, apparently excited.

"Well, I just heard Anzu talk about it this morning. Apparently, the logistics team prepared some fireworks to put up a show later in the evening! It's going to be beautiful," he cooed, eyes almost dreamy in his imagination. Then he perked up all of a sudden, his amethyst pools gaining a beautiful sparkle. "You've never seen fireworks, have you, Yami?"

Yami shook his head. "No, I haven't."

"Let's see it together later then. You'll love it. It's really, really beautiful." Yugi offered him a beatific smile.

Yami gave in to his urges and grabbed Yugi's hands at that smile, his heart already swelling with love. "Yeah, let's see it together. Just the two of us."

Yugi nodded, still smiling.

* * *

"Go Miho!"

"Run faster, girl!"

"You can do it!"

"Ganbatte!!"

Yami looked on as Miho, his classmate, dashed across the finishing line amidst wild cheering, garnering another win for their class. Honda quickly ran up to her, a bottle of mineral water and towel in hand. Yami grinned; his friend had been habouring the biggest crush on her since some time ago and this seemed to be the perfect opening to talk to her more. Yugi and Jou just chuckled at Honda's antics while they stood by the track, beside Yami. Soon, their classmates were surrounding Miho and congratulating her enthusiastically.

Yami's attention, however, was hardly on the girl; rather, he was looking for Anzu who had gone conspicuously missing since the last event. It had been hours since the sports meet had started, and still, there was nothing from Anzu. Not a clue, not a hint, no nothing as to what her cue was and when it would come. He felt his eyebrow twitching at that thought.

Sighing, he scanned the scoreboards located at the other end of the running track. Their class was currently tied at second place with class 1E, 15 points away from first place and just 3 points away from the third place. It was pretty good already, since they weren't a particularly sporty class, so they had never expected to get first place anyway. Yami just wondered if they could keep their second place spot long enough.

All of a sudden, he felt someone tap his shoulders and he spun around.

"Ryou?"

The white-haired boy was standing just behind him, wearing the most innocent smile and nodding.

"Yup!"

"What are you doing here? I thought you had to work, being in charge of the logistics and all?" Jou asked, having turned around when he heard Ryou's perky answer. Yugi turned around as well.

Ryou held up his clipboard. "Well, I am. I'm supposed to help coordinate the event too, so now I'm gathering the participants for the next event. Yami is our class representative for that one," – he smirked knowingly – "Right, Yami?"

The crimson-eyed teen blinked. He couldn't remember signing up for another event; he had already taken part in the 4 x 100m relay earlier, which he did so with his friends. As it was, it had taken an extra dose of doe eyes from Yugi to convince him to sign up; he never was a big fan of running unless it was to get away from danger.

His confusion must have been rather apparent, for Ryou quickly added, "Don't you remember? It's the one you promised Anzu you would join. She couldn't find anyone else because this event is a last minute add-on."

Realization dawned on him, and Yami caught on. "Oh yes. I did promise her."

Yugi blinked. "You did? When did this happen, Yami?"

Yami ruffled Yugi's hair playfully with a lopsided grin, feeling especially excited for a reason. "Just last night, aibou. She called us, but you were already asleep so I didn't wake you up."

"Oh…"

"I'm sorry I forgot to tell you about it; I forgot about it myself too," he said apologetically, mustering as much sincerity as he could. At Yugi pouting nod, he leaned in to whisper into his ear, "I'll be back soon and we can go watch the fireworks together. Just the two of us. I promise."

A smile broke forth on the hikari's face as he nodded more vigorously. Lately, Yami seemed to be rather distracted with his crush that he didn't spend as much time with him as he used to; the fireworks would be a good time to catch up on those lost minutes.

* * *

"Ryou?" Yami asked, as the two left the crowd for the event's starting point. "What event /is/ this anyway? And did Anzu tell you to…?"

The other tossed him a smile. "Yup! She wanted to come herself, but you know how the seniors are ordering us around. But anyway, she gave me a brief summary about your situation. For starters," – he held out a hand – "I wish you luck. Yugi will be quite happy with you, I think, and I trust that you will take good care of my best friend like you always do."

Yami blinked at first. Then he smiled as well and shook Ryou's hand firmly. "Definitely."

"Secondly, Anzu forbade me from telling you what her plan is about. Well actually, it isn't much of a plan but I think it will work. Just pay attention to the coordinator later and keep the slip of paper."

"What paper?"

"That paper," Ryou answered, pointing to the coordinator for this last event who was holding a bundle of paper in her hands. "Well then, good luck Yami! And do work hard for this one! If you win, you'll not only get a chance with Yugi, you'll also secure our class a silver in this entire sports meet!"

Before Yami could grab him for more details, the white-haired boy had disappeared into the crowds. Sighing, he looked at the coordinator who was gathering all the participants and taking a loud speaker to her mouth.

"Alright! I hope everyone's here because I'm not gonna repeat this darn message!"

Yami heard her mumble vaguely about murderous seniors who suddenly add events to a sports meet on a moment's whim.

"But anyway, this is a last minute add-on to our annual sports meet, and it is more of a game than a sports event actually. But your class will still score points if you win it. See the slips of paper in my hand now?" – she held up the bundle of paper – "When you get your slip of paper, you are not allowed to turn it over until you are told to do so. Sounds just like our exam papers, doesn't it? But don't worry; it's anything but that! Remember: this event is all about having fun!"

The participants cheered, but Yami was still confused. Apparently, this was Anzu's plan if the 'murderous senior' the coordinator had complained about was her dance senior. Still, he couldn't see how this would help him confess his feelings to Yugi. He had initially thought that Anzu was going to use the fireworks show in the evening somehow to help him. Forcing himself to concentrate on the task at hand, he listened as the coordinator starting talking again.

"On that slip of paper, we've written something on it. When the even starts, you flip the piece of paper over, grab what's written on the paper and go for the finishing line. The first person who gets the correct item /and/ reach the finishing line wins the competition! For instance, your paper writes 'someone who wears a watch'. So you grab anyone, /anyone/ from the crowd - be it a teacher, a friend or even a stranger - who is wearing a watch and run to the finishing line! It's just that simple! But if your paper reads 'a watch', then we want only the watch and not the watch that's still on the person's wrist. Basically, that means we want what's on your paper. And that's that. You can't use your own things though, for obvious reasons."

Yami frowned. What sort of event was this? (1) He shook his head before joining the queue for his slip of paper.

"Oh yes, I nearly forgot to mention this! All papers are distributed randomly, and there are no repetitions! It all depends on your luck!" the coordinator added.

Distributed randomly? Then how was this supposed to help him? Just then, he spied Anzu winking at him and giving him a thumbs-up. Yami winked back. If he knew her well enough, then she probably did something to the papers already…

* * *

Yugi tried to peer over the throngs of people without much avail. He was already near the front rows, standing just beside the track in order to cheer for his class and particularly, Yami since he was taking part in the next event. His height was proving to be a major stumbling block however, since there were still a few rows of people standing before him and a whole lot of movement on the field. Pouting disappointedly, he closed his eyes and reached for his mind link.

'Yami?'

'Aibou?'

'Where are you? I can't find you.'

'I'm on the track, just in front of the spectator's stand. You?'

'Still where you left me, but another class's cramming up the space in front of me and I can't see you now,' he sighed. 'Well, I'll try to get in front before your race starts. And good luck, Yami! I hope you win!'

'I promise I'll win it for you, and share the honour with you.'

Yugi sent his other half a wide smile and a huge hug.

'Thanks, Yami.'

'Aibou…'

'Yes?'

'I have something to tell you later, and I won't hold it off anymore. Later when we watch the fireworks… Well, I've got to go now. See you later, little one.'

Yugi creased his brows, trying to clear his mind and process the message Yami had left him with like it was some abandoned kitten. Although he would finally get to hear just what had been bothering his darker half for the past few weeks, it suddenly didn't sound as good as he thought it would be.

And was it just him, or was Yami's voice exceptionally tender just now?

* * *

Briefly, the announcer and coordinator of the last event explained the rules of the game to the crowd standing by and that they sought their cooperation to make this a success. Thankfully and quite expectedly, they were answered with a loud 'yes', simply because they were not unfamiliar with the game. In fact, the game was usually a staple in inter-school sports meets and school festivals.

"Get set, ready… GO!!"

Yami quickly unfolded his paper. For a moment, he stilled, grabbing his paper tautly. The other participants were already running off in all directions for their respective 'items', creating havoc amongst the crowds. Yami was still at the starting point, as though he was a lost puppy. Suddenly, he smirked, and his crimson eyes took on a delighted glint when the words finally registered in his mind. Anzu was such a little sneak! Grinning, he quickly ran towards the direction he knew his aibou was at.

'Aibou! Come quickly! I need you to help me win this event!' he shouted through their mind link.

* * *

'Aibou! Come quickly! I need you to help me win this event!'

Yugi blinked. He knew about the rules and how this games was to be played. What did Yami want from him? Vaguely, he wondered what was written on Yami's paper.

"Jou! Honda! I'm going to help Yami!" he yelled at his friends and quickly pushed his way out of the throng of people blocking him from the running track, despite the two asking him to wait for them. His stature made it quite a task, but he did his best to wiggle and weave between the people, all the while mumbling for them to excuse him. Finally, he was nearly at the front when he saw a hand reaching in for him. Immediately knowing who it was, he grabbed onto the hand and felt himself being pulled out.

"Yami!" he gasped as soon as he could see the darker teen, already feeling a little tired from the elbowing and shoving he did just now.

"Aibou, you're my 'winning item' for this game. Come, we should get going now!" Yami exclaimed. As he was about to turn around and run to the finishing line hand-in-hand with his other half, he noticed just how tired Yugi seemed to be. Worse still, Yugi was never a fast runner to begin with. Steeling himself, he bent his knees a little and hooked his arms around his hikari's knees and back.

"Grab onto me, Yugi! I'll carry you!"

Yugi felt himself lifted into the air, and instinctively, wrapped his arms around Yami's neck.

'Yami!'

'Sorry, hikari. But we've got to go now! Grab onto me tight!' Yami answered, and started sprinting towards the finishing line.

Yugi nodded, leaning closer. He could feel the wind whipping against his face, and he flinched. Turning away, he buried his face into the crook of Yami's neck and tightened his grip. Feeling Yami's warm body that was already glistening with sweat against his own, he sighed, comfortable with where he was. He could still faintly make out the distinctive smell of Yami's cologne and exotic spices.

Suddenly, a thought hit him like a punch and he blushed, finally realizing that Yami was not only just carrying him, but carrying him bridal-style. He wondered absently how they must look like to their schoolmates. For the longest time, everyone had been convinced that they were a couple. Yami's constant hovering over him and their need for tactile contact with each other did not help things, and it got to the point that even the teachers thought they were boyfriends. It took quite a while, but Yugi managed to clear up the issue and that was when a lot of girls started to hit on Yami, even though they already had their eyes on him before that.

But right now, at that moment, he was the one Yami held in his arms like his bride. He was the only one in his arms, feeling his warmth, listening to the adrenaline rushing through his veins and smelling the unique smell that was Yami and Yami alone. He was also the only one Yami wanted to watch the fireworks with, the one he wanted to confide in. And he knew that he was always the one Yami would go home with.

Another blush crept up his face at how comforting that thought was. Despite that, Yugi sighed contentedly and snuggled as close as he could, resting his head on Yami's shoulder. Time, in his mind, had ground to a halt. The world could have ended in a meteor of fire, be drowned in a deluge of iciness, or simply exploded, and he wouldn't even have noticed. That moment in time, that stilled minute, was all he wanted.

Before he knew it, the race was over.

* * *

Arina had no idea why she had volunteered to act as a helper for the inter-class sports meet. It was just a ton of work without any recognition. Oh yeah, her elder brother also on the committee and he wanted her to get out of her shell and meet more people. He was also the same guy asking, another word for 'ordering' in his vocabulary, her to process the last event's participants' items. They had to, he said, make sure that they had brought the correct items as stated on their paper. She sighed, deciding that the faster she finished up, the faster she could get the hell out of the place.

Leaving the tent meant for helpers, she blinked when she saw two boys who looked strikingly similar. Red-eyes, as she had dubbed him, was carrying violet-eyes bridal-style like he was a little china doll. Cute. She wondered if they were a couple, or if they weren't, about to be one. They definitely looked like it.

She walked over and held out a hand.

"Paper please."

Red-eyes finally – and reluctantly – released violet-eyes, and reached into his pocket for his slip of paper. Hiding it from violet-eyes' view, he stuffed it into Arina's open hands.

She unfolded it, blinking when she saw what was written. Grinning, she gave violet-eyes a quick once-over, who seemed to blush under her gaze. Red-eyes immediately took it upon himself to shield the other, reminding Arina of a prince protecting his princess from the evil and malicious dragon. Suddenly, she felt a sudden urge to roar and spit fire if that would get the two boys to kiss.

But she suppressed the urges and instead, gave violet-eyes a sharp nod while looking at red-eyes. She asked, "Hey, is he your… well, you know."

"Yeah," red-eyes answered without a moment's hesitation. The faint smile on his face made the scene seem all the more sweeter.

She smirked. "Well then, you're qualified as a winner. Congrats on winning first place!"

"Thank you. Now can I have the paper back please?"

Ahh, so red-eyes still had a use for that paper. "Sure, no problem!"

Once red-eyes got the paper back, he quickly led violet-eyes away from the tent, probably to somewhere quiet. Violet-eyes glanced back at Arina questioningly, but she just shrugged, still smiling. Oh, violet-eyes was in for a surprise!

* * *

Yugi followed Yami to the rooftop garden that was relatively quiet since almost everyone was still down at the running track. The sports meet wasn't over yet, after all. But it seemed that Yami wanted to talk to him, and the mind link wasn't enough for a quiet conversation.

He thought to himself just what could it be. Was Yami really falling in love with someone and wanted to break the news to him? Or was it something else completely?

If someone had told him that Yami had fallen in love just a week ago, he would have clapped and congratulated his darker half. After all, Yami's life should never revolve around just protecting him and playing Duel Monsters. There was so much more to life than just that and Yugi wanted Yami to experience them all, having been deprived of them 5000 years ago.

But now, he wasn't so sure. If Yami were to really leave him for his love life, Yugi wasn't sure what he would do. Laugh with Yami, or cry alone in his bedroom? He didn't want his best friend to leave him for anything.

However, a voice inside him asked him blatantly if Yami was really /just/ his best friend. Yugi had no answer to that. What more could there be? Lovers?

Yugi wondered what Yami thought about the issue. Did he want something more? His actions did seem like it, but Yugi was always afraid to think too much about Yami's actions when they could just signify friendship and brotherhood. Chocolates, little snacks, music CDs, flowers… what did Yami mean with them? And there was Yami's constant presence and comforting gestures that were meant for him only. What did Yami want with him?

Then there was the conniving grin the girl at the helpers' tent had given Yami. Just what was written on the slip of paper anyway? Brother? Best friend? Or perhaps even…? Dare he hope?

"Yami?" he asked, staring at the other's back.

The ex-pharaoh let out a deep sigh, and finally spun around.

"Aibou, I've wanted to talk to you about this for weeks, but I just haven't got the faintest idea how. Even now…" – he sighed again – "I still don't have the words. But this time… this time… I hope you won't listen to my words. Feel them, Yugi. Feel what I feel and you will know. Let my actions tell you." With that, he opened their mind link.

A flood of emotions were let loose for the first time, bursting free of the sluice gates Yami had held on so tightly before. Yugi could feel the sudden onslaught, but he stood firm and waited for it to come to him. If it had been anyone else, he would have feared drowning, would have been terrified of being swept away. But this was Yami's feelings; Yami would never hurt him or try to.

The flood came in a split-second, and Yugi reveled in it, his eyes having fluttered shut earlier. It ghosted across his skin in faint whispers, reminding him of a sakura breeze with the petals whirling in their intricate dance. At the same time, it crashed into him like waves of tsunami, crushing his lungs and gave him no breathing space.

It cherished him, and it hurt him. The feelings made him feel as cherished as when Yami would embrace him and plant a soft kiss on his forehead to tell him it was okay to cry. But they also hurt him like a stab in his heart, the way he always felt when Yami neglected and kept things from him.

Why was it that Yami always made him feel everything he felt?

And what did Yami feel… in this deluge of emotions? Yugi could sense fury, annoyance, despair, depression, respect, trust, infatuation, adoration, and… love. When he opened his eyes, he knew. Yami had not fallen in love with someone; he loved someone. There was a difference between the two, and Yugi had always known about it, even though he didn't understand how it worked. But now, if someone asked him what was the difference between falling in love and loving someone, he would be able to answer with a faint smile.

Falling in love was a passion of the hearts. It wasn't a constant, and could fade away as suddenly as it came. It was just… love and nothing else. The people who fall in love with each other could hide behind a beautiful façade just to stay together.

Loving someone was a passion of the souls. It was something that would be forever anchored in one's heart, never to be forgotten, even if the relationship did not live. It wasn't just love; it was a whole parcel of various emotions, simply because those who loved each other would be true to what they felt and present themselves as the way they truly were to each other. There were no pretenses.

Gazing into Yami's crimson eyes that held the true him, Yugi smiled. He walked over, and gently unclasped Yami's fisted hand to withdraw the slip of paper. As he unfolded it, he could feel Yami's nervous gaze on him but there was nothing to worry now.

"Yami?"

"Aibou, I…"

There was no need for words, for it wasn't the only way to show someone how you felt.

Yugi cupped Yami's face in his hands, and slowly pulled him down. When they were but inches apart, Yugi breathed, "Show me."

As a rousing cheer from the track signaled the end of the sports meet, Yami closed the distance between their lips and for the first time, tasted his hikari's sweetness. He had always known how Yugi felt in his arms, how he smelled like apple and cinnamon, how he sounded like a lark bursting into a happy song, how he looked like a divine angel. Finally, Yami knew what his hikari tasted like. Cotton candy, his mind supplied as his senses went into overload. Sweet, tasty and fluffy. He moaned.

For Yugi, his first kiss with Yami reminded him of a lot of things. He thought of the time Yami plopped him into his laps and hugged him; he thought of the time Yami made him breakfast; he thought of the time Yami gave him a lotus. Everything clicked in his mind, and he could finally believe that he had never, thought too much about Yami's actions. He coaxed his other half into another, deeper kiss. As a dream-like veil of trance fell over them, wrapping them both in a realm of rapture and love, they lost touch with the rest of the world.

In a corner of the rooftop, hidden by a particularly thick pillar, Jou and Honda felt their jaws fall at the sight. When they had went around looking for the two missing teens, catching them French kissing each other was definitely the last thing on their mind. Behind them, Anzu and Ryou just smirked knowingly and dragged them off skillfully.

Over the next few days, a rumour quickly spread through Domino High school much like a wild bushfire that would not be extinguished. It spoke of the torrid love escapade that a certain red-eyed boy shared with his violet-eyes, of how they had shared chaste and yet passionate kisses on the school rooftop, and how the setting sun kissed their bodies with a heavenly halo all around them.

But neither Yami nor Yugi knew about that yet. They were still deep in their kiss, pulling for the other to get closer. In Yugi's hands, the tiny slip of paper, now crinkled, fluttered with the winds.

By nightfall, they snuck to an isolated place in the school to watch the fireworks. As the fireworks lit up the sky in a dazzle of colours and smoke, Yugi cuddled into Yami's arms like a docile kitten. The other teen just held him tighter, humming happily. Occasionally, they would turn their eyes away from the fireworks and lean in for a kiss. Other times, they would point to a particularly beautiful display of fireworks and sigh in awe and pleasure.

The fateful slip of paper would, from then on, live on faithfully in a photo frame on their desk at home.

_The one you love._

Down below, the cheering continued.

-owari-

(1): I got this idea for a manga called 'Super Gal Kotobuki Ran'. They really do have this type of event in a sports meet in Japan.

Replies to reviews:

hAdOwCat - I think lotuses are beautiful too! More so than roses, unless said roses are blue. Thanx for the review!

citrus luver - Right right! Lotuses are definitely much more beautiful than roses! Heh, Yami's luck picks up in the second part, doesn't it? Hope you like!

crsg - Hope this second part satisfy you!

KNT - Heh, humour is my signature move,I think, even when I'm writing romance. Glad you like!

Dark Raven,Hiiei's girl - Really? /blushes/ Thank you!

SailorChibi - Definitely. I only knew about the lotus representing love in ancient Egypt when I searched through some websites. Yami probably didn't think of that. Anyway, thanx for the review!

YamiShadowcat22 - Yes! Yami does confess his feelings for Yugi!

b.l.w. - Thanx for the review!

Pharaoh Atemu's Angel - Updated for your viewing pleasure! Thanx!

Sapphire Dragons - Of course! Thanx for the compliment!

Mistress Luna - Yup! Yami confesses in this chappie! Hope you enjoyed it!

Nashida - Will do!

hikarinotenshi15 - Updated now! Like it?

Sansi - I recognize you! I think you've reviewed another fic of mine before! Thanx!

Souldreamer - Yea, I think so too!

YamixYugiforever - Erm, fast enough? Heh... sorry I kinda forgot to post this part even it had been gathering dust for a while...

Sorry if I missed anyone, but I really do treasure and read every word you guys send me!


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